Contributed by Tara Reed, MPS coordinator, School of Integrative Plant Sciences.

Twenty-five undergraduate and graduate students made the most of a fine spring day April 30 by participating in a three-mile nature hike led by Cornell naturalists Marvin Pritts (SIPS), Don Rakow (SIPS), Anurag Agrawal (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), Cole Gilbert (Entomology) and Cliff Kraft (Natural Resources and the Environment).

Despite the cold weather and high elevation which made for a late spring, students were treated to flowers of red and white trillium, hepatica, blue cohosh, bloodroot, trout lily, American honeysuckle as well as a millipede and garter snake.”

More than 150 students registered for the 25 available seats on the bus. One of the lucky ones said, ““It was so great to get outside and explore around Ithaca!”